Housed cleat for submarine boats



APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. 192i.

Patentedv Jan. 3, 1922. 3 SHEETSSHEET l.

H. H. HOFFMAN.

HOUSED CLEAT FOR SUBNIARINE BOATS.

vAPPLICATION FILED MY 3, 1921.

Patented Jan. 3, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

, lNvENToR ATTORNEY H. H. HOFFMAN.

HAOUSED CLEAT FOB SUBNIARINE BOATS.

I APPLICATION FILED MAY 3| 192i. 1,402,496. Patented Jan. 3, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

HOWARD H. `HOFFMAN, oF FAIRFIELD BEACH, CoNNFCTiCUT, AssIeNon. *fro run LAKE 'roRFEDoBoAr COMPANY, 0F IBRIDGEPOR'F, CONNECTICUT, AI CORFORA- Application filed May, 1921. Serial No. 466,551.

TooZZ whom t may concern:

y ,'Be it known that I, HOWARD H. HOFFMAN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Fairfieldy Beach, in the county oi F airfield and State of Connecticut, have linventeda certain new and useful Improvement in .p I-Ioused Cleats for ySubmarine Boats, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Upstanding lixed cleats on submarine boats not only present speed-resisting sur- .,faces, but they are a source of danger iii their liability t0 catch in nets laid to entrap such boats ,when submerged, unless thecleats are provided withv special. guards to avoid such nets. p

The object of this` invention is to avoid both of these difficulties, and to this end the invention consists of a disappearing cleat that may thus be wholly removed out of sight and from obstructive and endangering possibilities when the boat is submerging, as I will proceed now to explain and finally claim.

The invention, however, isapplicable to other than submarine boats.

In the accompanying drawin s illustrating ythe invention, in the severa figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of the `forward end of adeck, with the cleats in extendedor operative position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, on a larger scale, and also showing the cleat by dotted lines in disappearing or concealed position. Fig. 3 is a cross-section, on line 3-3, Figs. 1 and Fig. 4 is a cross-section showing. the cleat 1n disappearing or concealed position. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section online 5 5, Figs. 1 and 6, some parts being broken awayto expose others. Fig. 6`is a top plan view of a portion of one side of a boat, illustrating the cleat in operative position, one end of one of the arms of the cleat being broken away to expose one of the cleat bearings.

1 designates the superstructure of a boat, 2 the deck, and 3 the Sides, which may be of any usual or approved construction.

At points where cleats are desired, the boat is provided with wells or pockets 4., within which the cleats may be caused to disappear when not in use, or, in other words, within which the cleats may be housed. These wells Specification of Letters Patent.

HOUSED CLEAT FOR SUBMARINE BOATS.`

Patented Jan. a, V1922.`

tion 11 to close the opening` in the well'auto-- matically as the cleatis raised from they well into operative position and toflie approximately flush with the deck. at" such times. 12 is a bracket applied to the wall of the well opposite the bearings 6, and having a pair of eyes 13. Ihe plate 1() has a` perforated lug 14 adapted to fit in between the eyes 13 and -to be engaged therewith by a coupling pin 15 or other removable fastening, medium, to hold 'the cleat inits extended or operative position. 'Ihe pin 15 may vbe provided with a chain -16 engagingaixed eye 17 rto prevent .its loss. rIhe top of the cleat may be provided with a lug 18 which .engages the pin 15 on its lower side when the cleat is housed, in order to prevent displacement of the cleat as a result of the rolling and plunging of the boat.

19 is a cover for the well, same being hingedly connected with the vboat so as to be capable of being turned over backward on to the deck, when the cleat is exposed, as in Figs. 1 and 3, or to be closed down over 10 is a platekk in Fig.

The operation would seem to be obvious from the foregoing, but it may be restated as follows: The cleats'are housed in the wells when not in use, as shown in Fig. L1, and the wells closed securely,-so as to avoid pitfalls for those on board as well as to conceal and protect the cleats, and to deliver a submarine boat from danger of having its cleats enmeshed in destroyer nets, Whenever a cleat is to be used, the cover 19 is opened and the cleatJ turned over, and locked in extended position, asshownin Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6, but ready to be returned quickly to its well at any time. V

Variations in details of construction and arrangement are considered to'bewithin the spirit and scope of the invention as herein claimed.

What I claim is 1. lAdisappearing cleat for boats, comf prising a cleat of otherwise substantially ory Aingv into operative position and concealed Within the housing 1n inoperative position, and means to pos1tivelT detain the cleat in dinary construction, provided with pivots', and means to lpivotally mount the cleat 1n -a Well in a boat, said cleat having a Well-closfor-pivotally mounting the cleat in thev hous-V ing sorthat it may be turned out of the houseither position.

4. A cleat and housing therefor, said housing having bearings andV the cleat having pivots mounted in said bearings, a plate extending from the base ofthe cleat substantially at right angles and adapted to 'fclose the opened housing When ythe cleat is in operative position, and means to lock'the parts in such position.

Y 5.V A cleat and a housing therefor, complemental means in the housing and on the cleat for pivotallyY mounting the cleat Within the housing, means for locking the cleat in operative position outside of the housing, and meansl for holding the cleat from displacement When concealed Within* the housing, a housing cover formed With the cleat, and a supplemeiitall housing cover operative. Vrespectively when the cleat is exposed and when it is concealed. Y

6. ln a submarine boat, havin a Well, a cleat pivotally. mounted in said7 Well and adapted to be concealed Within the Well, and a cover for the Well adapted to close the Well when the cleat is concealed therein, and a lug on the cleat to holdv the loleat from displacement when housed. Y A

T. A disappearing cleat for Vsulnnarine boats, having pivots extending from its base and adapted to he supported inbearings in a housing or well in the boat yinto which the' cleat disappears, said cleat having a plate and means to loclr' the plate in cleat-supporting position and to close` the Well when the cleat is extended, and aV lug on the cleat adapted to engage an element. ofthe cleatloclring member when the Vcleat disappears into the housing or Well.

In testimony whereof I have hereuntoset my hand this 29th day of April, A. D. 1921. Y HOWARD H. HOFFMAN. y Y Witnesses: f f i N. L. MnVDHURsT,

A. M. DONOVAN. 

